PERU – The town is scheduled to advertise this weekend for bids to make $400,000 worth of road improvements, it was announced at Monday night’s selectmen’s meeting.

Road Commissioner David Gammon and consultant Dale Carlton will review proposed changes in the bid package.

Gammon pointed out that there was no way to know how much new material would be needed for some portions of the work until the roads were actually dug up.

Dwayne Vaughn of Von & Sons Trucking of Peru strongly recommended that the road department act as the general contractor and bid out the various portions of the project. He and Gammon agree that the town can save money since this is the traditional way projects have been done.

Chairman Bill Hine said the board would be interested in looking at the prices if Gammon developed them.

In other matters, Selectman Rodney Jamison praised SAD 21 for its excellent performance in the school safety test reported in Sunday’s Sun Journal.

He also reported that American Legion Post 199 was having a cleaning and fix-up day Sunday, May 20, to get the post hall ready for the summer season. Post members and volunteers are requested to help.

Paul Bickford has brought suit against the town regarding the long-standing dispute over his Worthley Pond property. Bickford got a building permit in 2002 and was cited in 2004 for violations of the building code and shoreland zoning law. He was charged with turning a seasonal dwelling into a year-round residence, changing the setback distance from the water, changing the elevation of the structure and removing trees. The property has 66 feet of shore frontage, which is 34 feet short of what’s required for year-round occupancy, Code Enforcement Officer Jack Plumley has said.

The town has 20 days to respond to the suit.

Selectmen are considering their options to also contest the Appeals Board ruling that granted Bickford a waiver on the setback requirement.

In another pond issue, the public boat launch to be built on the east shore has been delayed until fall, selectmen’s Secretary Kathy Hussey said.